Patriotic Places Honor Veterans

Ask any citizen over the age of four what holiday comes in July, and you’re almost certain to hear “the Fourth, of course!” Family gatherings, beachside barbeques and, best of all, enormous fireworks displays are all part of our national tradition on that holiday. San Diego hosts dozens of July Fourth parades and commemorations, and if you’re in town on that day, you can’t help but find a patch of grass, sand or bleacher from which to oooh and ahh at the pyrotechnics.

And after that outstanding kick-off, you and your family can extend that wonderful patriotic feeling by visiting San Diego’s places of honor. Here are six suggestions for a day of remembrance in honor of our nation and its war veterans.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma is a moving reminder of the ultimate sacrifice hundreds of thousands of them paid. With a gorgeous view of the bay beyond, you can make your own tribute to the 91,467 veterans buried here, their gleaming white grave stones marking their places in history. The first bodies were buried here in 1882. Fort Rosecrans became a National Cemetery on Oct. 5, 1934 and spans over 77 acres today. In addition to the gravestones, numerous monuments and memorials offer a quiet history lesson.

The Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial, situated atop an 800-foot La Jolla hill with a 360-degree view that extends to the Pacific Ocean, pays tribute to all veterans of all wars and conflicts. Surrounding the base of a white 43-foot tall cross at its highest point are six concentric walls holding 1800 individual granite plaques, each bearing the name and likeness of a veteran, as well as a bit of his or her personal story. The large American flag flying in the perennial breeze is a reminder of the reason for their service and sacrifice.

Those who flew in wars or peace times can rediscover our amazing aeronautical progress at San Diego’s Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park, where five centuries of aviation history are depicted. More than 60 aircraft and space vehicles, including an exclusive exhibit of Apollo 9, the only Apollo Command Module flown in space west of the Rockies, are on display here. The Planetary Theater allows you to go beyond the blue as you view our earth and the solar system.

Those who sailed on and below the deep blue sea should not miss a visit to The Maritime Museum of San Diego, where centuries of nautical history lie in its world-renown collection of historic ships, including the B-39 Soviet Attack Submarine that probably stalked some of San Diego’s own U.S. Navy ships. Typical of the subs that played a part in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the B-39 ironically is now at port with her former enemies. The HMS Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal navy frigate and the Star of India, world’s oldest active ship, are just two of the other vessels among this admirable collection.

For an extra-special treat, book a sailing aboard the Californian, a replica of a mid-19th century revenue cutter, or the 1914 harbor Pilot boat. Nautical-philes can book one of several summertime overnight sailings to Catalina Island aboard the Californian.

For a stationary, but amazing experience, don’t miss the USS Midway, the aircraft carrier serving as San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum at the Navy Pier downtown San Diego. The longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history, this ship’s 47-year active history began in WWII and ended with the liberation of Kuwait in 1991. She was decommissioned in 1992 in San Diego and, thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and private donors, became an official museum in 2004. Guided by docents (some of whom are veterans) or an audio tour, you can take in more than 40 exhibits and 21 restored aircraft aboard the 1001 foot-long vessel. You can access various areas of this massive ship, including the hangar deck, flight deck and berthing spaces.

Go further back in time with a visit to Old Town State Historic Park, which recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872. There, you will find the reconstructed McCoy House, built by James McCoy, an Irish immigrant and former San Diego sheriff and state senator, in 1869. The property itself has an even longer history. It once belonged to Maria Eugenia Silvas, a descendant of a Spanish Colonial soldier who came here in the 1770s. Old Town’s shops, restaurants and a museum invite you to linger as you reflect on days and wars gone by.

For More Information:

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Near Cabrillo National Monument, Catalina Avenue, Point Loma
Visiting hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00-4:30 M-F; 9:30-5:00 Sat/Sun
www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp

Mt. Soledad Veterans Memoria
6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, La Jolla
Open from 7 am -10 pm daily; www.soledadmemorial.com

San Diego Air & Space Museum
Balboa Park, San Diego  619-234-8291
www.sandiegoairandspace.org

San Diego Maritime Museum
Downtown, San Diego at the Embarcadero
619-234-9153; www.sdmaritime.org
For info on Californian sailings: 619-234-9153 ext. 101

USS Midway
910 N. Harbor Drive, Navy Pier, Downtown, San Diego
619-544-9600; www.midway.org

Old Town State Historic Park
619-220-5422; www.parks.ca.gov